Gate.



G. E. ANDERSON.

GATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1912.

1,077,449, Patented N0v.4, 1913.

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GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1, 1912.

1,077,449 Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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CHARLES E. ANDERSON, OF LAKE ANDES, SOUTH DAKOTA.

GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed August 1, 1912. Serial No. 712,680.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ANDER- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lake Andes, in the county of Charles Mix and Stateof South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGates; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in gates and particularly togates formed in pivotally connected sections, and known as scissorgates.

One object of the invention is to provide a gate of this characterhaving an improved arrangement and construction of operating mechanism,whereby the gate may be readily raised to an open position and wherebythe same will close by gravity.

Another object is to provide an upwardly opening gate of the characterdescribed which will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive inconstruction, efficient and reliable in operation and which may beopened and closed by any one approaching in a vehicle without alightingtherefrom.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view of my improvedgate, showing the same in closed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe gate, showing the same one-half way open and illustrating theopening movement thereof; Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the gate allthe way open; Fig. d is a vertical cross sectional view, taken on theline H of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the gatesupporting post and the catch for holding the gate in open position, theupper portion of the post being in section and illustrating the positionof the parts when supporting the gate; and Fig. 6 is a similar view,showing the manner in which the gate is disengaged from the catch.

My improved gate comprises an upper member or section 1 and a lowermember or section 2 of a suitable width and of a length corresponding tothe width of the road or opening which the gate is intended to close.The sections 1 and 2 of the gate may be of post 5 near any suitableconstruction and are here shown as being in the form of rectangularmetal frames, in which are arranged wire-rods or other filling. Thesections 1 and 2 have on their inner or adjacent cross bars, aperturedpivot-lugs 3 adapted to receive a pivot bolt, whereby the sections arepivotally connected together midway between their ends, as shown.

On the inner or hinged end of the upper section 1 is formed a downwardlycurved arm 1, the end of which is pivotally secured at 4 to the gatesupporting post 5 near the lower end thereof. The lower member orsection 2 of the gate has on its inner end an upwardly curvedloop-shaped operating arm or extension 6. On the arm or extension 6 nearthe end thereof is secured an eye 7, to which are connected theoperating cables 8 of the gate. from the eye 7 and pass through a guideThe cables 8 extend upwardly eye 9 on-the upper end of the gatesupporting post 5, and from thence the cables extend in oppositedirections to cable supporting posts 10 arranged alongside the road atsuitable distances beyond the opposite sides of the gate. The cables 8pass through guide pulleys 11 on the upper ends of the posts 10 andextend downwardly to Within convenient reach, as shown, and have securedthereto counterbalancing weights 12 which also form handles, whereby thecables are operated to open the gate in a manner hereir-' afterdescribed.

Secured to one side of the gate supporting the upper end thereof is aspring gate supporting catch 13, which projects outwardly at a suitableangle from the post and in the path of upward-movement of the inner endof the extension 6 of the lower member of the gate. Connected to theupper end of the catch 13 is a cast-0E chain or other flexibleconnection 14:, which passes through a guide aperture 15 in the upperend of the post 5, said aperture being formed at an angle with its lowerend opening through the side of the post adjacent to the spring and at apoint some distance above the upper end of the latter, whereby when thechain is drawn tight, the same will project at an'angle or inclinationbetween the upper end of the catch 13 and the post. On the other end ofthe chain 14: is a ring 16 of larger diameter than the size of thepassage 15 in the post, whereby this end of the chain is prevented frombeing pulled through the aperture in the post. To the ring 16 areconnected the upper ends of the gate releasing cables 17, which extendin opposite directions toward the cable supporting post 10 and areengaged with guide pulleys 18 on said posts. The ends of the cables 17extend downwardly and have secured thereto rings 19, whereby the cablesmay be pulled for unlatching the gate in a manner hereinafter described.

When the members or sections of the gate are in closed position, asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the arms or extensions on the innerends of said members will be disposed between the short guide posts 20arranged adjacent to or at a short distance from the supporting post 5.The opposite ends of the sections or members 1 and 2 of the gate whenclosed are disposed between guiding and retaining plates 21 arranged onthe latch post 22 of the gate. Arranged transversely through theplates-21 at a point above the ground corresponding to the width of thelower member of the gate is a stop bolt 23, beneath which the end of thelower gate member slides and with which member is engaged when themembers are brought to a closed position, said bolt thus preventing thelower member of the gate prising upper and lower plvotally connectedfrom being raised by stock or other animals.

In the operation of the gate to open the same, the weight 12 on one orthe other of the gate lifting cables 11 is grasped and the cable pulleddownwardly, which operation will draw upon the extension 6 of the lowermember, thereby raising the inner end of said member and at the sametime swinging both members back and upwardly after the manner of openinga pair of scissors and as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawing. hen the gate is completely open its weight is nearly above andsupported by the pivot A because of the curvature of the arm 4. As thegate is opened the curved arm or looped-extension 6 of the lower member2 of the gate is drawn upwardly as far as the catch 13, and the latterwill be pressed inwardly until the extension 6 reaches the upper end ofthe catch, whereupon the latter will spring outwardly into the extension6, so that when the gate lifting cables are released and the gatemembers drop, the looped extension will slip down onto the chain 1 1,which in its slack condition will form a loop and support the members ofthe gate in an open position.

In order to close the gate one of the cables 17 is pulled, therebydrawing the chain 14 through the passage 15 in the post until the slackis taken up and the extension on the lower member of the gate will becast ofi by the chain over the end of the catch, thereby permitting thesections of the gate to swing together into a closed position. Themembers of the gate are retarded in their closing the upper movement orcaused to close gradually by means of the counterbalancing weights 12,which are slightly lighter than the members of the gate, said weightsalso assisting in the opening of the gate members, so that very littleeifort is required on the part of the operator to raise the members ofthe gate to an open position.

The gate supporting post 5 and the cable supporting post 10 may be ofany suitable construction but are preferably formed of metal and have ontheir lower ends augerpoints 24, whereby the posts may be screwed intothe ground, thus obviating the necessity of digging post holes forplanting or setting the posts.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim is 1. A gate of the character described commembers adaptedto swing together one above the other to close the gate, a gatesupporting post, an arm on the inner end of the upper member pivotallyconnected to said post, gate lifting cables connected with the inner endof the lower member and leading upwardly alongside the gate post and toremote handles, a catch to e11- gage and hold said gate members in anopen position, and means whereby said members are disengaged from thecatch.

2. A gate of the character described comprising upper and lowerpivotally connected members adapted to swing together one above theother to close the gate, a gate supporting post, an arm on the inner endof said upper gate member and pivotally connected to said post, gatelifting cables connected with the adjacent end of the lower gate memberwhereby said members may be drawn upwardly toopen positions alongsidethe gate post to open the gate, means to support said cables inoperative position, counterbalancing weights on said cables, a catch toengage and hold said gate members in an open position, and means wherebysaid members are disengaged from the catch and permitted to close bygravity.

3. A gate of the character described comprising upper and lowerpivotally-connected members adapted to swing together one above theother to close the gate, a gate supporting ost, an arm on the inner endof said upper gate member and pivotallyconnected to said posts, gatelifting cables connected with the adjacent end of the lower gate memberwhereby said members may be drawn upwardly to open positions alongsidethe gate post to open the gate, means to support said cables inoperative position, counterbalancing weights on said cables, a springcatch to receive the lower member of the gate when swung to an openposition, a flexible gate releasing element connected with said springcatch to receive the portion of the gate member engaged thereby and todisengage said gate member from the catch, whereby the gate is permittedto close by gravity under the retarding action of said counterbalancingweights, and gate releasing cables connected with said flexiblereleasing element whereby the latter is actuated to disengage said lowergate member from the catch.

4. A gate of the character described comprising upper and lowerpivotally-connected members adapted to swing together one above theother when closed, a gate supporting post, an arm on said upper gatemember and pivotally connected to said post, a loop-shapedgate-operating arm on the inner end of said lower gate member, gatelifting and opening cables connected to said operating arm, cablesupporting posts to hold said cables in operative position, a springcatch to receive the loopshaped arm of said lower gate member when saidmembers are raised to open the gate, means to disengage said arm fromsaid catch to permit the gate members to close, guide posts to receiveand hold the inner ends of the gate members when closed, guiding andretaining plates to receive the outer ends of the gate members whenclosed, and a stop bolt to prevent the raising of the lower gate memberwhen in closed position.

5. A gate of the character described comprising upper and lowerpivotally-connected members adapted to swing together one above theother to close the gate, a post, a downwardly curved arm at the innerend of the upper member pivoted to said post, an upwardly curved arm atthe inner end of the lower member having an eye, a cable leading througha guide near the top of said post and connected with said eye, a catchon the post with which said upwardly curved arm engages as the foldedmembers approach a position directly over the lower pivot, and means fordisengaging this arm from the catch.

6. A gate of the character described com prising upper and lowerpivotally-connected members adapted to swing together one above theother to close the gate, a post, a downwardly curved arm at the innerend of the upper member pivoted to said post, an upwardly curvedloop-shaped arm at the inner end of the lower member having an eye, acable leading through a guide near the top of said post and connectedwith said eye, a spring-catch projecting to the side of the post andadapted to engage said looped arm when the gate approaches a positiondirectly over the lower pivot, and a cast-off for throwing said loopedarm out of engagement with said catch.

7 A gate of the character described comprising upper and lowerpivotally-connected members adapted to swing together one above theother to close the gate, a post hav ing a transverse hole, the inner endof the upper member being pivoted to said post, a loop-shaped arm at theinner end of the lower member, a spring catch projecting to the side ofthe post and adapted to engage said arm when the folded gate approachesan upright position, and a chain connected with the free end of saidspring catch and led obliquely upward through said hole in the post andto a remote handle, the same serving as a cast-off to disengage the arfrom said catch.

8. A gate of the character described comprising upper and lowerpivotally-connected members adapted to swing together one above theother to close the gate, a post having an oblique hole through it, adownwardly curved arm at the inner end of the upper member pivoted tosaid post, an upwardly curved loop-shaped arm at the inner end of thelower member having an eye,

a cable leading through a guide near the top of said post and connectedwith said eye, a spring catch projecting to the side of the post andadapted to engage said looped arm when the gate approaches a positiondirectly over the lower pivot, and a chain connected with the free endof said spring catch and led obliquely upward through said hole in thepost and to a remote handle, the same serving as a cast-off when drawnon to disengage the looped arm from said catch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. ANDERSON. Witnesses:

W. C. BEAURGUARD, R. C. BAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

